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The Weekly Eater Nadine Kam |
BluWater Grill makes its
stand on the waterfrontRESTAURATEURS looking toward Kahala, Hawaii Kai and Portlock tend to see dollar signs going in. Sure, there's some old money there, but those huge planned communities springing up suggest a flood of ambitious working stiffs, with family -- not the sort who can make high-priced meals a habit.
The area's a graveyard for restaurants that have tried to compete with the likes of Roy's and the Kahala Mandarin, while smaller competitors like The Shack and Cha Cha Cha Salsaria have thrived by serving up basic fare with value on the side; hold the pretension.
The latest Kuapa waterfront entry is BluWater Grill, tucked in the back of Hawaii Kai Shopping Center, a few doors away from The Shack. The setting is serene and cozy, if somewhat hidden. Diners must want to be there in order to continue their search past one of the shopping center's main destinations, Longs Drugs.
I liked this setting when it was Portlock restaurant, and the tropi-casual ambience hasn't changed much. There's something about the soothing setting and being on the water that lulls restaurateurs into believing everything's good. From the consumer perspective, the marina is good. It's pleasant to watch kayakers go by while catching the day's last light, and being near water has a way of resuscitating spirits and relaxing the body. But the feeling lasts only 'til the sun goes down. Afterward, it's back to reality, and what's on your plate.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
At the BluWater Grill in Hawaii Kai, chef-owner William Bruhl, left, and chef de cuisine Harold Beltran display a Caribbean Cobb salad with prawns and an inside-out California Roll out on the restaurant's lanai.
BLUWATER GRILL'S menu reads extremely well, so it's hard to decide where to begin. We had to send one server away three times before we could commit to a few dinner selections. Sometimes, the choice boils down -- as we've learned from reality TV dating series -- to what you don't want, for whatever reason: familiarity, obsession, phobia, etc.
Out went the Kalua pig tostadas ($6.95). Too heavy. We eliminated the oven-roasted seafood dip ($10.95) of crab, shrimp and scallops baked with Parmesan cheese, and fried kalbi chicken wings ($7.95) Too sinful. (Oh, but don't let me stop you.)
The principals here are alumni of Ryan's Grill, and they don't seem to have strayed far from the young adult-oriented food 'n fun formula. Whether that can seduce an older, knowledgeable crowd remains to be seen.
We settled on the pupu sampler of fire-grilled teriyaki beef skewers, macadamia nut-crusted jumbo prawns and ahi poke ($18.95). The tenderloin and poke flavors are ringers for Ryan's soy sauce-heavy recipes. The former is essentially a beer companion; while the ahi could have been a lot firmer. The prawns should have been crunchy but arrived in a soggy state, though the flavors, boosted by a sweet chili-coconut dipping sauce, were fine.
There's a lot of experimentation with international herbs and spices here. A rack of lamb ($24.95) gets the curry treatment, rubbed with cinnamon, fenugreek, cumin, coriander and cardamom, before hitting the grill. Fourteen spices go into locker-aged New York striploin. But the mixed bag of flavors can't cover up weaknesses in execution. Grilled chicken ($14.95) is topped with a papaya-ginger glaze and served with green mango slaw and Okinawan sweet potato puree, which one woman deemed "the best chicken she ever tasted." She hasn't been out much. It might be OK for those with a sweet tooth, if it weren't so dry. Dessert of banana and chocolate ganache blintzes were delicious, and would have been better if not burnt in spots.
Otherwise, desserts of lilikoi creme brulee, old-fashioned banana split sundaes and melting dark chocolate are highlights, making this a great place to stop after movies at Kahala Mall or Koko Marina.
The best dish was a season's special of moi, simply panko-coated and deep-fried, and served with a sweet Thai chili sauce that works without trying so hard.
Hawaii Kai Shopping Center, 377 Keahole St. / 395-6224 BluWater Grill
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, to midnight Fridays and Saturdays; Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday dinner from 3 to 11 p.m.
Food 
Service Ambience Value Cost: About $10 per person for lunch; $50 for two for dinner without drinks
See some past restaurant reviews in the Columnists section.
Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com
excellent; very good, exceeds expectations; average; below average.
